Criminal Justice

The ACLU of Virginia seeks to significantly reform the criminal justice system to ensure that all individuals who interact with it are treated fairly and have their constitutional rights observed. We strive to end cruel and unusual punishments, address overincarceration, and eliminate racial disparities. We need smart and fair justice at all steps in the criminal justice system: police practices, prosecutorial discretion, sentencing, and in prisons and jails.

Did you know?

In 2014, Virginia incarcerated 449 adults per 100,000 people; that's a rate about 15% higher than the National average.

72% of Virginians believe judges should have more freedom to use forms of punishment other than prison.

In Virginia, the state government spends more than $1 billion per year on corrections. 75% of Virginians believe the Commonwealth's prison system costs too much.